Ako man has always been quite fond of Bea Alonzo whose rise to fame I sort of chronicled from when she was breaking free from the clutches of starlethood towards becoming a legitimate star. For that aforementioned cover story, Bea even requested for only me to write the cover story on her.

Kahit na nga nu’ng bagu-bago pa lamang ito and I was also asked to write the cover story on her upcoming debut then ay she so sweetly asked for my mobile number. Ang venue: Rajo Laurel’s atelier in Makati. Akmang tinype niya ito sa kanyang cellphone pero it did not escape my gaze that she did not really save it.

And it was just fine with me. She never ever heard anything about it from me. Hindi naman kasi ako ‘yung klase ng writer na feeling close sa mga artista katulad ng isang mother-and-son (nga ba?) team I know na naba-ban sa MYX channel dahil sa pagiging mga intrimitida. The first rule on journalism that I learned both in school, in practice, and by instinct is to observe detachment from your subject so that you can depict the story on him or her with objectivity. ‘Yun ang essence ng isang tunay na mamamahayag.